Molly's Moment
by Sariba
Summary: One moment is all that's needed to change everything. One moment, and someone very dear was taken from him. One moment to know he couldn't let that happen again. Sherlock's life was a series of moments, good and bad, that defined who he was and how he lived his life. Night was beginning to fall at Baker Street when they got the call. That moment, everything changed again.


A/N - This takes place months after the events of The Final Problem (4x3). Spoilers inevitable.

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Chapter One:

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One moment is all that's needed to change everything. It took only one moment for Sherlock to decide that John would be his new roommate. One moment, and Sherlock knew he couldn't do everything alone. One moment, and someone very dear was taken from him. One moment to know he couldn't let that happen again. Sherlock's life was a series of moments, good and bad, that defined who he was and how he lived his life.

Night was beginning to fall at 221b Baker Street when they got the call. The moment John answered the phone, everything changed again.

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"I still can't believe your flat caught on fire, Molly." John said, hanging up her coat by his.

Molly nodded, still reeling from it all. Toby leapt from her arms the moment she stopped moving and ran to hide. "O-oh, sorry, I'll go get him."

John waved her off. "Don't worry about it. Maybe he'll find a few mice around here and do us a favor."

"Those mice are experiments." Sherlock finally spoke up, silently watching Toby as he hid under his desk. "Crucial to my understanding of-"

"Anyway," John cut him off, giving him a look that clearly said 'shut up'. "After everything you've done for me, and Rosie, you deserve to stay here. You can take my bedroom upstairs, and I'll sleep on the couch."

"Oh, no-" Molly started to refuse, but Sherlock interrupted.

"Impossible. Rosie needs consistency if you expect her to keep a sound sleep schedule. If she's moved, or if John isn't there, then it throws it all off." Sherlock explained. John gave him a death stare. Molly stared at the ground.

"I'm sorry, I'll just go to a hotel. That would be better for everyone-"

"She'll stay in my room."

John and Molly both stared, wide-eyed. "What?" Sherlock retorted, aware of their judgment. "It's the most logical conclusion. I require minimal sleep, and the couch is no obstacle for me if I were to use it."

"Well, okay." John was the first to speak. "See? Don't worry." He said gently, patting Molly's shoulder.

Molly nodded meekly, following John as he led her to Sherlock's room. This was not what she was expecting. She hadn't intended on staying at all- maybe just recover here for a little while before she got a hotel. Now, she would be staying with John and Sherlock, and sleeping in Sherlock's bed. It was a fantasy she'd played out in her head before, much to her own shame, but under very different circumstances.

"Alright, here we go." John walked into Sherlock's dark room first, fumbling for a light switch. "Okay, so make yourself at home."

"Thanks, John." Molly gave him as strong of a smile as she could muster. The awkward settled in a moment later, and John excused himself to let her rest.

She sat carefully on the edge of Sherlock's bed. The sheets were soft, probably a higher thread count than she could ever dream to own. And now, what she did have was gone. Everything was gone. Only Toby and herself survived. And Toby only made it because of a brave fireman. Did she even get his name? She couldn't remember.

It all happened so fast. She was on her way home from work when Greg called to see if she was alright. When she got to her apartment, the police took her number and said they'd call her when the official amount of damage was confirmed. They were still trying to put out the fire even at that point. Sherlock and John had shown up moments later, and had ushered her into a cab back to Baker Street. She didn't have time to process anything; it all felt like a dream.

Tears dripped down her cheeks as the shock set in. She was homeless, now. She lost everything. A violent sob racked her body. She broke.

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After a long night of tears, Molly woke up the next morning tucked into Sherlock's bed, under the covers. She didn't remember crawling under the blankets, but who knows. It was early in the morning before she even began to fall asleep, so maybe she'd forgotten.

She let out a shaky sigh and reached for her phone on the nightstand. No missed calls. The police hadn't contacted her yet. How long would it be until the damage was assessed? She didn't have insurance for fire. So everything was lost. She'd have to start from the beginning again.

But in the end, Molly decided, all of that stuff didn't matter. What mattered was the pictures, the memories, the moments that had burned up that could never be regained. Thinking about that just made her want to cry all over again.

She swiped a stray tear and quickly got up before her mind went to those places again. What she needed right now was a distraction. A shower sounded absolutely lovely, and then a hot cup of tea afterwards. That was her routine at home, and maybe Sherlock wouldn't mind if she continued it here.

Gently opening the door, she peered down the hallway to see any signs of life. It was early in the morning, maybe 7, so she doubted John was up yet. He probably tried to sleep as long as Rosie did – the little one had a bad habit lately of staying up into the early hours, still eager to play. _That was probably Sherlock's fault_ , she thought.

No signs of Sherlock anywhere. After waffling for a few moments, she decided to be brave and use the shower. They were friends, right? Even after that disastrous phone call involving Eurus, they had gone back to being friends. Which was good. It's what both they both wanted.

 _Liar._

She pressed her lips together and commanded the voices in her mind to leave her alone. She had bigger things to worry about than some man. Even if that man was Sherlock bloody Holmes.

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A/N: Alright. So here's chapter one. Molly's in Sherlock/John's apartment after a chance fire at her flat. but spoiler: the universe is rarely so lazy

AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW INSURANCE AND FIRES WORK OK SO LET'S JUST IGNORE THAT LITTLE DETAIL

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